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After a delightful first visit to the "Conan" show, I was surprised by this little nugget from the web--thanks very much, Ken Tucker, Critic-at-Large!

I'm just back from a delightful couple days in New York during which I got to open the show at City Winery NYC for the great Ian Hunter and his Rant Band. My friend Jim Mastro, one of the band's very able guitarists, in whose guitar shop I began my musical renaissance in 2010, was kind enough to get me the gig and it was pure pleasure. Great audience, great music, great provisions at the venue. I think we may do more of these joint events, so watch the space above--you won't be sorry.

In support of a delightful show at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle for the Bed and Bread people, I got to do two spots on the radio with a guy I've watched on TV for years: Mitch Albom. He is effortlessly funny and gave us a lot of time to promote this very worthy cause.

The good people at Truefire, from whom I've learned a lot about the guitar, were so kind as to reward me with one that is much too good for me autographed by Larry Carlton, one of the giants! I am very, very pleased and eager for the package from Gibson to arrive.

This just dropped (as the kids say) and I have a little nugget in it...definitely worth the four pounds or euro or whatever it is...

Very sorry to hear the news of David Letterman's impending retirement, although it is selfish to expect the man to go on forever. He's truly been a huge part of my entertainment experience, beginning (I think) when I saw him on the "Liar's Club" game show in the late '70s and he stood out for being hipper and stranger and funnier than the normal slate of guests and made me want to be hip and strange and funny. Soon he had his own daytime show, which provided larger doses of unadulterated Dave and a nice excuse to miss some freshman classes at the old alma mater. His late night shows were the only ones that I found worth watching once Carson had retired, loaded with great comedy and great musicians. To have gone from being an abject fan to performing on his show has been astonishing and the highlight of my career.

Just announced--I'll be returning to a long-time favorite club, the DC Improv...I was lucky enough to be a part of their grand opening weekend (in 1993), along with Brian Regan, Ellen DeGeneres, and our celebrity guest, Mr. Ricardo Montalban. Night of a Thousand Stars, give or take...

I'm very delighted and honored to be a part of this video commemorating my buddy Brett Leake's thirty years in stand-up/sit-down comedy. He's truly one of the great comedians and a greater guy.

Just back from the Great White North, where I saw the lovely but unpopular magpie for the first time, and learned upon return that my bank is about as bad as those airport currency exchange kiosks. Wasn't NAFTA supposed to fix this?

The good people at the Huffington Post and MarloThomas.com linked to one of my appearances on the Letterman Show--Thanks!

I'm very much looking forward to returning to one of my all-time favorite venues, The Barns at Wolf Trap, on March 26th, 2011: Great space, great audiences, and it's fun to be on the calendar with (just looking today) people like Lucy Kaplansky, Roger McGuinn, and Buckwheat Zydeco. As with performing on the Letterman show, it's these events that make one feel, however briefly, that one's actually in show business.

That's sense, Withnail: "Jeff Caldwell is a very funny man, a great stand-up comedian if there ever was one. He's insightful, smart and not at all profane. I highly recommend him."

For my trenchant public policy contributions, I've been given a shout-out by great comic and great blogger/media analyst Bob Somerbyhere and here.

What a nice surprise. Not really "news," as it's from April, but new to me.

While performing in Indianapolis's (Indianapolis'?) Morty's Comedy Joint on December Third through Sixth, I'll be stopping by the Bob and Tom Show, which, they tell me, is also televised now on WGN. It's bad enough getting up that early after a show the night before, but now I have to shower.

My beloved and bedeviling San Diego Chargers made a furious comeback to beat the New York football Giants yesterday, showcasing their lack of running game and pass rush--they're strictly a bunch of sandlot bombers. Exciting, but it doesn't seem like a sustainable business model. At least I get to see the disgruntled New York fans up close...

Did two shows last week featuring Jim Gaffigan, who was working on a very funny hunk about hotels--as one who's done his share of hard time at the Hilton, it rang a bell.

Did a show last night with my friend Laurie Kilmartin, who's on her way to L.A. to write for Bonnie Hunt's show. She'll be missed in New York!

I did a show in Cambridge, Massachusetts this week that featured talks from Congressman Ed Markey and technologist Dean Kamen, both fascinating. Dean showed a video featuring his “Luke Arm,” a brain-controlled prosthetic limb. It enabled some amputees to handle very delicate tasks, like picking up a grape and getting it into the mouth without dropping it or crushing it. Great line, from the wife of Chuck, a man who was able to feed himself for the first time in 12 years: “Dean, either you give us that arm, or you take Chuck.”

For those who can't get enough Caldwell minutiae, here's a freshly taped podcast in which I pull back the curtain a bit. Until my knighthood comes through... I was just added to the illustrious rolls of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels for, no doubt, my extensive work in the field of bourbon appreciation. Thanks to the kind people of the Commonwealth!

For those who enjoy chatter, here are some links: A podcast taped at the DC Improv and an interview with Seattle morning radio's delightful Bob Rivers.